USASTRATCOM

This blog was created for USASTRATCOM Long Lines Battalion Army personnel who served in Taiwan during the 1965-72 time frame. Specifically, those who lived and worked in and around Taipei are the target. If you worked at the Grass Mountain or Gold Mountain facilities or anywhere in downtown Taipei, we would like to hear from you. All are welcome to visit and contribute to this blog. Your comments and pictures are encouraged.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Gold Mountain Lives! Taipei, Taiwan, 1967-2014

First of all, my apologies. From the time that this blog began, your host assumed that Gold Mountain JOSS was no longer standing. Nothing that was sent to the blog proved otherwise until now. Gary Roske, the first USASTRATCOM contributor had spent time at Gold and Grass Mountains. Photos of the Gold Mountain microwave tower gave no indication as to where it was located in relationship to Grass Mountain. Now we have proof that it still stands although its location is still a little obscure and its microwave tower has changed from our military days.

Photo courtesy of Gary Roske

Waiting for their assignment to Taiwan are PFC Gary Roske at the far left and Dan DiThomas third from left. They and their friends had recently graduated from Tech Control school at Ft. Monmouth, NJ.

Photo courtesy of Gary Roske

Here is Gary as a Sp5 at his Tien Mou home with his faithful dog.

Photo courtesy of Gary Roske

Many servicemen sold American cars to other military men so that getting to work was made much easier. Here is Dan working on his 1956 Chevy, making it purr like a kitten.

Photo courtesy of Gary and Amy Roske

A few decades later, Gary and Amy are shown here at a beautiful shoreline near their home. Notice also their faithful dog.

Photo courtesy of Gary Roske

Wow! Talk about moving up in class! Here is Dan DiThomas, 45 years later with his Stutz automobile.

These cars were very popular in the early 20th Century until the Great Depression closed down the plant. Maybe one of the most famous Stutz was the Bearcat.

Photo courtesy of Gary Roske

Shown here are Amy Roske and Mary DiThomas at what appears to be a registration table for a Stutz car show in Stillwater, Minnesota.

If nothing else, this blog helped get two friends reunited after many decades.

Photo courtesy of Kent Mathieu

Getting back to the 1970s, this photo shows the Grass Mountain complex as it looked in 1973. The war was still on and the site was still being used as a microwave send/receive complex. I like this picture in particular since it shows the back gate road as it begins to wind down into the village. Dan, Gary and I had long before left Taiwan, but this picture indicates the road which may have lead to Gold Mountain. I never saw the place and just assumed it was nearby.

The present day overhead shot of the Grass Mountain complex and thee surrounding area demonstrates how much the entire area has changed.

The orange line in the street was my understanding of the route taken by the men who worked at Gold Mountain. I am counting on many Gold Mountain alums to set things straight.

Photo courtesy of Gary Roske

Gary began a trek to the Gold Mountain site in 2014. His goal was to get as close as he could to see just how much the place had changed.

Photo courtesy of Gary Roske

This is as far as Gary got. The Taiwanese Army guards were more than a little less friendly than Gary had hoped. This is how the tower looks today which is much bigger than the Gold Mountain tower of the 1960s and 70s. I tried Google Earth in an attempt to try to find it. From what the ruler indicated, the tower and site was at least one half mile away. That would coincide with Gary saying that Army vans took them to and from work. My calculations may be way off as well.

2 comments:

I still have my driver license issued there. Lived in Tien Mou, but on top floor. A few years before, the water line had been above the first floor and we had to use boats to get around. The Base Exchange had a plaque showing the flood level.